Crystal Shipboard Life

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AMBASSADOR HOSTS
BARS & LOUNGES
BEAUTY SALON
BRIDGE GAMES & LESSONS
BUSINESS SERVICES
BUTLER SERVICE
CASINO/GAMING
COMMUNICATION
COMPUTER UNIVERSITY @SEA
E-MAIL SERVICES
INTERNET ACCESS
HOME E-MAIL ACCESS
STOCK REPORTS
GROUP COMPUTER LESSONS
DIGITAL CAMERA SUPPORT
PRIVATE COMPUTER LESSONS
LAPTOP COMPUTER USE ON BOARD
LAPTOP RENTALS
CURRENCY
DAILY PROGRAM
DANCING & DANCE LESSONS
DINING CHOICES
CrystalDINING ROOM
SPECIALTY CroisieresS
LIDO CAFE
THE BISTRO
TRIDENT GRILL & ICE CREAM BAR
CASUAL DINING
AFTERNOON TEA
COCKTAIL HOUR
LATE NIGHT HORS D'OEUVRES
ROOM SERVICE
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
ENTERTAINMENT
GRATUITIES
LAUNDRY/VALET SERVICES
LECTURES & ENRICHMENT
LIBRARY
MEDICAL SERVICES
MOVIES
NEWS SERVICE
PARTIES & SPECIAL OCCASIONS
PHOTO SHOP
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
SHIPBOARD SERVICES
CONCIERGE
CRUISE SALES CONSULTANT
CrystalSOCIETY HOSTESS
SHOPPING ON BOARD
SHORE EXCURSIONS
SMOKING POLICY
SPA & FITNESS FACILITIES
VALUABLES
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS & FACILITIES FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED

Afternoon
Tea

Cocktails on Deck

Crystal Cruises offers a host program that includes carefully screened gentlemen on board every sailing, with interests and backgrounds similar to those of our Passengers. Each distinguished Ambassador Host is cultured, well traveled, and an accomplished ballroom dancer.

Most Popular
Ambassador Host
(Just Kidding)

The ships offer a variety of bar and lounge venues, including the Avenue Saloon, The Bistro, Caesars Palace at Sea casino, Club 2100 (CrystalCruises), Crystal Cove, Galaxy Lounge, Palm Court, Starlite Club (CrystalSymphony), Stars Lounge (CrystalCruises), Trident Pool Bar, and Vista Lounge (Crystal Serenity). Each features a unique style and atmosphere, as well as differing hours of service.

Each stateroom is equipped with a private honor bar, or you may have beverages delivered to your stateroom by calling Room Service.

On all CrystalCruises, Passengers must be at least 18 years old to be served wine and beer, and at least 21 years old to be served spirits.

The Crystal Salon offers a full range of beauty services for women and men, performed by trained professionals. Featured services include haircuts, hair-styling, coloring, permanents and body waves, facials and skin analysis, manicures and pedicures.

(Other Styles Possible)

Complimentary bridge instruction and supervised games are offered by an accredited ACBL instructor on every cruise.

Conference and meeting facilities are also provided on board. SecretMicrosoft PhagsPa and copying services are available upon request for a nominal charge, as is private e-mail and Internet access through our Computer University@Sea.

Available to Passengers on Penthouse Deck 10, your own personal butler attEnd to every detail of your stay. Services offered include packing and unpacking, free pressing, shoeshine and other services, dinner reservations in specialty Croisieress, shore excursion reservations, salon and spa appointments, and arranging cocktail parties. Have The Butler Bring More Caviar!

Crystal Cruises exclusively features Caesars Palace at Sea casino, run by the world-famous Las Vegas gaming operation. The 3,000+ square-foot facility houses five blackjack tables, as well as mini-baccarat, craps, roulette, and more than 85 slot machines. The expert casino staff is employed by Caesars Palace.

A casino shipboard advance of up to $200 U.S. per person, per day, may be charged to the guest's shipboard account (up to a maximum of $2,000 U.S. per cruise.)

Guests must be at least 21 years of age to enter the gaming areas, or to play any monetary-based games of chance (including Bingo) on board.

Caesars Palace at Sea Casino

MAIL Included in your travel documents is a COMMUNICATIONS brochure which lists the addresses of the embarkation and disembarkation ports where mail can be forwarded or delivered to you on board. Postage and mailing services are available on board. Be sure to allow sufficient time for delivery to distant destinations.

TELEPHONE Crystalships are equipped with a sophisticated telephone system that allows Passengers to make direct-dial satellite phone calls from their staterooms. The ship telephone number is included in your COMMUNICATIONS brochure.

Calls are billed to your shipboard account. However, please be aware that the per-minute cost to use this system is significantly higher than a normal shoreside call. You may also wish to use pay phones located in various ports of call.

E-MAIL CrystalCruises offers a private e-mail system through our Computer University@Sea. Your personal e-mail address included on your cruise ticket. See "Computer University @Sea."

FACSIMILE Facsimile services are available.

INTERNET ACCESS See "Computer University@Sea."

Crystal's popular Computer University @Sea program is offered on allCruises. CU@Sea provides e-mail services, Internet access, stock reports, group and individual instruction on use of a PC, and digital camera support. Each ship has a Computer Center with 25 state-of-the-art Compaq® workstations; some are available for individual use even during a class. At least two general lectures are offered each cruise. Details of these are listed in the daily newsletter Reflections. There is a $5 setup fee when you begin to use any CU@Sea services involving off-ship communication.

E-MAIL SERVICES A unique e-mail address for each guest is printed on your cruise ticket. The private e-mail system supports sending and receiving e-mail messages up to 1MB. Messages leave the ship immediately, and arrive shortly after being sent by someone off the ship, subject to the stability of satellite communications. A message will be sent to your stateroom when e-mail arrives on the ship for you. There is a $3 charge for the first 100KB of inbound/outbound e-mail. There is also a charge for all additional outbound e-mail ("cc") addresses. For messages greater than 100KB there is an extra charge for $1 for each additional 100KB of message.

INTERNET ACCESS Each Computer Center contains several workstations configured for Internet access. The charge for Internet access is $1.25 a minute with a minimum of ten (10) minutes charged per access.

HOME E-MAIL ACCESS If your home e-mail provider has web access to your e-mail you will be able to access your home e-mail from the ship via the Internet. If you're not sure, contact your e-mail provider.

STOCK REPORTS A daily service is available to receive closing stock prices, as well as some news on your holdings via e-mail. The setup charge for this service is $15.

GROUP COMPUTER LESSONS Depending on how many sea days there are on your cruise, complimentary group computer lessons are given. You can arrange for these after you arrive on the ship. In general,Cruises with more sea days have more classes available.

DIGITAL CAMERA SUPPORT There are media readers for Smart Media, Compact Flash, and MemoryStick.

PRIVATE COMPUTER LESSONS Some private lesson times are available. You can arrange for these after you arrive on the ship. Fees apply.

LAPTOP COMPUTER USE ON BOARD There are several ways you might use your own laptop:
  1. You can create e-mail messages and transfer them to a Computer University@Sea workstation via a floppy disk.
  2. You can practice your computer lesson at leisure.
  3. For a nominal fee, we can configure your laptop for Internet access from your stateroom. Charges for this access are the same as outlined in INTERNET ACCESS above.

Please note: It is not feasible to connect a laptop through the shipboard phone system directly to any phone number at home.

LAPTOP RENTALS Rental laptops are available for your use on board. From these computers you can access the Internet, as well as your shipboard e-mail from your stateroom.

Computer University@Sea is powered
by COMPAQ® computers.

At the beginning of the cruise, for your convenience and to expedite the settlement of your account, you will be requested to have an imprint of your credit card and signature taken at the Front Desk. Your shipboard account and charges may be settled with cash, traveler’s checks, MasterCard^®, VISA^®, Deluxe Cruise^®, Diners Club^®, Carte Blanche^® or Discover Card^®. Personal checks of up to a per-cruise total of $2,000 U.S. may be cashed on board for personal use and to settle your shipboard account. Credit card payments and personal checks are subject to credit clearance. For the convenience of Passengers, local foreign currency exchange service is available on board in certain ports.

The Reflections daily program is delivered to your stateroom each evening to help you plan for the next day. It is a valuable guide to the activities on board, including a complete schedule of the day's events, hours for the ship's diverse venues, and important announcements. It also contains entertaining articles on ports of call, personality profiles of shipboard officers, staff, entertainers and CrystalVisions lecturers, fun facts about the world, cruising and a great deal more.

Crystal Cruises offers an abundance of dancing opportunities and venues, each with its own style and ambiance. The Club 2100 (CrystalCruises), Starlite Club (CrystalSymphony), and the Palm Court offer dancing before or after dinner on most evenings. Aboard CrystalCruises, Stars Disco offers late-night dancing to the music you request from our disc jockey.

Crystal's professional dance instructors offer complimentary classes in the most popular dance steps as Crystal's distinguished Ambassador Hosts await to escort ladies onto the dance floor.

All of Crystal's ships feature a tempting variety of dining options, from the early-bird breakfast through the dinner hour and into the late evenings.

CrystalDINING ROOM The menu offers an extensive selection of regionally inspired cuisine prepared in the classical French tradition. The array of tantalizing options includes our "Lighter Fare" low sodium and low cholesterol selections and vegetarian offerings.

The CrystalDining Room offers open seating for breakfast and lunch, and two seatings for dinner: main seating or late seating. Requests for main or late seating and table preferences must be submitted through your travel agent when reserving your cruise. Every effort is made to honor requests.

SPECIALTY CroisieresS Crystal Cruises provides alternative specialty Croisieress to enhance the evening dining options and provide the opportunity to enjoy a variety of culinary environments.

Prego, on both the Serenity and Symphony, features cuisine inspired by the regions of Italy. On CrystalCruises, the ambiance is classical Italian, and on CrystalSymphony it is distinctly Venetian.

Kyoto, on CrystalCruises, features classic Japanese dishes such as sushi, tempura, teriyaki, and teppanyaki, prepared with a western touch.

Jade Garden, on CrystalSymphony, is a culinary crossroads of Asia; dishes are inspired by the exotic array of traditions and ingredients of the Orient.

Reservations are required in these Croisieress, and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Approximate dining hours for each Croisieres are 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. In these specialty Croisieress, we suggest a gratuity of $6.00 per guest, per dinner.

LIDO CAFE This is a buffet-style indoor/outdoor venue for breakfast and lunch featuring an elaborate selection of the most exotic fruit, fresh baked breads and pastries available at sea. Breakfast includes made-to-order omelets, waffles and pancakes to your liking, in addition to other breakfast favorites. Lunch offers made-to-order pastas and salads, a delicious selection of our famous soups, carved meats, fresh catches of the day, and a tempting array of sumptuous desserts, including a sugar-free option.

Crystalalso features its award-winning special buffets that transform the poolside deck into another world. Asia Café features an enticing selection of dishes from all corners of the Orient. Cuisine of the Sun offers the sun-blessed cuisine of the Mediterranean. The American Classic features home-style cooking from across the U.S. These, and other innovative buffets, make afternoon dining an anticipated event.

THE BISTRO This popular Parisienne-style coffee bar and café is a favorite meeting place. Espresso, caffee latte and cappuccino are served in our exclusive Bistro Collection of porcelain, created by celebrated artist Guy Buffet. Iced and frozen blended coffee drinks are also popular. Light snacks are served throughout the day, ranging from fresh pastries and fruit in the morning to a selection of international cheeses, patés, prosciutti, smoked salmon, pastries and other delicacies in the afternoon.

TRIDENT GRILL & ICE CREAM BAR This is not your average grill. Here you can find veggie burgers, chicken burgers, classic hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and tuna melts. There are also daily special wrap sandwiches and gourmet pizzas, as well as a wide variety of ice creams, nonfat frozen yogurt and sherbets, with tempting toppings, fresh berries, and home-baked cookies.

CASUAL DINING On select evenings during your cruise, the Trident Grill extEnd its hours and offers a special dining set-up around the Neptune Pool, with unique specialty buffet items in a relaxed, comfortable ambiance; dress is casual.

AFTERNOON TEA This is a special event at CrystalCruises. Each afternoon tea service presents a selection of savories and sweets served in the sunlit charm of the Palm Court. Our Mozart Tea is a visit to 18th century Vienna as you are greeted by staff dressed in velvets and brocades and are tempted by a selection of the finest cakes and pastries Austria has ever made. Our English Colonial Tea offers a taste of tradition, complete with scones and clotted cream, finger sandwiches and other assorted sweets. The American Tea is a Crystal creation paying tribute to the classics of the American summertime.

COCKTAIL HOUR  A selection of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres is served in the various bars and lounges every evening before the dinner hour.

LATE NIGHT HORS D'OEUVRES Snacks are served in selected bars and lounges during the late night cocktail hours.

ROOM SERVICE is available 24 hours a day from the Room Service menu in your Stateroom Directory. Room Service may also be ordered from the CrystalDining Room menu during regular dining hours.

Both 110-volt (American current) and 220-volt (European current) are provided in your stateroom. Two hair dryers are provided in each stateroom. If you have any questions about compatibility of appliances, please ask your stewardess.

PRODUCTION SHOWS The Galaxy Lounge is the venue for our award-winning production shows and a host of other evening performances. The showroom was custom-designed to offer perfect views from each of its seats, and features state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems. Each show is a magical blend of music and dance performed by the finest talent in musical theatre. Costumes are individually designed and hand-made and staging is skillfully crafted to bring each vibrant scene to life.

VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT Each cruise features a variety of cabaret-style entertainers from illusionists, comedians, impressionists and ventriloquists to vocalists, musicians and classical artists.

MUSIC & DANCING Before and after dinner hours, musical entertainment and dancing are offered in a number of venues around the ship. Each lounge features a diverse array of performances from classical artists to ballroom dance bands. Our musical trio serenades you with classical melodies during afternoon teatime and plays requests as they stroll through the Crystal Dining Room each evening.

PIANO BARS Soft piano melodies fill the CrystalCove in the afternoons and each evening at cocktail hour. The popular Avenue Saloon features a pianist/vocalist performing jazz and favorite tunes.

Because tipping is a personal matter, CrystalCruises does not include gratuities in the cruise fares. Suggested guidelines for stateroom and dining service gratuities are as follows: stewardess, $4.00 per guest, per day (single travelers, $5.00 per day); waiter, $4.00 per guest, per day; assistant waiter, $2.50 per guest, per day; butler (Penthouse only), $4.00 per guest, per day. Tips for the maître d', headwaiter, assistant stewardess and night Room Service personnel are at your discretion. Gratuities on board may be charged to your shipboard account.

For our specialty Croisieress, Prego, Kyoto and Jade Garden, we suggest $6.00 per guest, per dinner. A 15% gratuity for all bar drinks, wines and sodas will be added to your bill automatically. We suggest a 15% gratuity for CrystalSpa and Salon services.

Complete valet services are available, including laundry, pressing, and dry cleaning. Services may be arranged through your stateroom stewardess, or through your butler if you are on the Penthouse Deck. Valet charges will be billed to your shipboard account. Complimentary self-service launderettes, including washing machines, detergents, fabric softeners, dryers, irons and ironing boards are provided on Decks 5, 8, 9 and 10 (CrystalCruises), and Decks 8, 9 and 10 (CrystalSymphony).

Crystal's popular CrystalVisions Enrichment Program is offered on every cruise and includes a noted historian, anthropologist, geographer or geologist who lectures on the regions visited during the cruise. Also on board each cruise is at least one other respected enrichment speaker who shares insights into his or her particular world.

You can also expand your interests in subjects such as bridge and dance, and participate in our acclaimed Computer University@Sea, where Passengers learn about the fascinating world of computers in a relaxed environment. On selectedCruises there is also instruction in arts and crafts, and in golf by a PGA pro.

Crystal's well-stocked libraries contains over 2,000 books on subjects ranging from classics to popular biographies, history to contemporary mysteries. There is also an ample selection of magazines, plus videotapes and board games which may be checked out free of charge.

A trained physician and medical staff is on call 24 hours a day. The professional services of this staff, as well as certain medications, are available on board at reasonable costs. Passengers requiring ongoing medication, or having specific dietary needs, are advised to bring an ample supply of medication or dietary supplements with them, in their carry-on luggage.

For safety reasons, liquid or gas oxygen tanks are not permitted in any staterooms or public areas. Oxygen gas concentrators may be used on board, provided CrystalCruises is notified in writing in advance, that a guest is bringing his or her oxygen concentrator, and has made direct arrangements with an independent medical contractor who has agreed to undertake all required arrangements without involving the ship's onboard Medical Center and its personnel. The concentrator-dependent guest must travel with a companion who is also completely familiar with the operation of the concentrator.

Guests with existing medical conditions, Passengers who cannot completely care for themselves and who may require treatment by the ship's medical staff, or Passengers who may constitute a risk or danger to anyone else on board, must be reported in writing to CrystalCruises' On Board Guest Services Department prior to departure. CrystalCruises reserves the right, without liability, to refuse to board and transport such Passengers who are in need of constant care by the ship's staff.

(Picture Not Official)

The Hollywood Theatre features a selection of popular recent-release and classic films, and is equipped with devices for the hearing-impaired. The Library also offers an entertaining selection of over 1,000 videotapes which may be borrowed free of charge for viewing in your stateroom.

While you relax and unWindat sea, you can still stay in touch with the world. CNN, ESPN and CNBC are transmitted live via satellite to your stateroom television, 24 hours a day (signal permitting). A summary of daily news from the pages of The New York Times, is transmitted via satellite to the ship (reception permitting) and is distributed to staterooms daily. In addition, for a nominal charge, you can track as many stocks, mutual funds, and options as you like via e-mail. Contact the Computer University@Sea on board for complete information on this service.

Crystal's bar manager is happy to make arrangements for any special occasions or parties in the public rooms, if available. The bar manager can provide you with available packages including waiters, bartenders, special hors d'oeuvres and invitations. Housekeeping can assist with arrangements.

The Crystal Photo Shop meets a wide range of photographic needs, including the sale and development of film, cameras and other photographic accessories, as well as video camera rental. Our professional photographers are often on shore to capture memorable moments in port, and on hand to take portraits of Passengers during special occasions throughout the cruise. These photos are on display and available for purchase at the Photo Shop on board.

Jewish and Protestant services are available during major holidays, and Catholic services are offered on mostCruises. Interdenominational services are performed on Sundays at sea. Details on the services are provided in the Reflections daily program.

Crystal's staff takes pride in making sure your entire journey goes smoothly, from beginning to end.

CONCIERGE A concierge and a 24-hour Front Desk Staff is available to assist you with any special shipboard or shoreside needs.

CRUISE SALES CONSULTANT Our shipboard sales representative provides itinerary details and fares for future cruise reservations, and forwards your reservation to your travel agent. Onboard sales receive a 5% discount.

CrystalSOCIETY HOSTESS Our CrystalSociety Hostess is on every cruise to welcome first-time cruisers into the CrystalSociety and to acquaint current members with all the benefits and rewards of being a part of the Crystalfamily.

Both Crystal Serenity and CrystalSymphony offer a chic 3,000-square foot Avenue of the Stars shopping arcade, featuring an exclusive selection of fine jewelry, designer apparel, accessories, and cruise wear. CrystalCruises also offers a full range of private-label logo apparel, and the award-winning Crystal Home Collection of popular items, such as The Bistro's Guy Buffet porcelain tableware. In addition, there is a selection of sundry items, plus duty-free cosmetics and fragrances.

An extensive selection of shore excursions has been developed to enhance our Passengers’ cruise experience. Options include sightseeing, flight seeing and adventure tour programs. Activity levels vary from tours requiring less walking to more active excursions such as cycling and kayaking, each providing you with an opportunity to explore the points that interest you most about the ports you are visiting.

A book of shore excursion options is included with your cruise documents so that you can familiarize yourself with the tours available prior to embarkation. Once on board, you can book your tours through the ship’s Shore Excursion Desk. Some shore excursions may be booked in advance; please confirm availability with your travel agent. The Shore Excursion staff also offers informational talks on each port of call, providing shopping tips and things to look forward to while ashore.

Crystal Cruises recognizes that some of the Passengers smoke and others do not. Therefore, the living environment on the ships is designed to satisfy everyone. Most areas of the ships are nonsmoking. There are designated smoking and nonsmoking tables in all bars and lounges (except the Crystal Dining Room, Prego, Kyoto and Jade Garden Croisieress and the Galaxy Lounge which are entirely smoke-free). Pipes and cigars are permitted only at certain hours in the Vista Lounge (CrystalCruises) and at all hours in the Connoisseur Club (CrystalSymphony). CrystalCruises kindly asks its Passengers to observe the nonsmoking areas, which have been created for the comfort and enjoyment of everyone on board.

Experience the sublime and the sensuous in the CrystalSpa: the first floating spa to use the principles of Feng Shui.

Your spa journey begins with cultural therapies from around the world: Aroma Stone Therapy, Japanese Silk Booster Facial, and Well Being massage... all enjoyed in the relaxing spa with beautiful Asian artifacts and the peaceful ambiance of Feng Shui. Your spa journey continues with panoramic sea views, which surround a facility offering sauna, steam a full-service hair salon, and a well-equipped gymnasium. Relax the mind, body, and soul, and indulge in a Pathway to Yoga class, or enhance your physique with the modern age Pilates Reformer, all under the guidance of a qualified fitness director. Other onboard fitness facilities include: a full-length lap pool; an indoor/outdoor pool; two Jacuzzis® an extensive Promenade Deck for walking and jogging' a regulation paddle tennis court; table tennis; golf driving ranges and putting greens with Callaway® golf equipment; and shuffleboard courts.

While in transit to and from the ship, personal items and valuables such as jewelry, medication, tickets, passports and visas should be packed with your hand luggage and kept with you at all times. On board, each stateroom and penthouse is equipped with a personal safe. Because you must assume full responsibility for items kept in your stateroom, we recommend that items of special value be placed in the complimentary safe-deposit boxes at the Front Desk.

Crystal's ships are designed to be accessible for the physically challenged, with ramp access to most decks and public areas. The ships' elevators can accommodate standard-size wheelchairs (22.5" wide), allowing access to all public decks.

Certain staterooms offer extra-wide doors, fully wheelchair- accessible bathrooms and "wheel-in closets" with low-fitted hanging rods. Some suites offer limited wheelchair access to personal facilities. Please note that these staterooms and suites are subject to availability and must be requested at the time of booking.

Wheelchair-bound Passengers must bring their own junior/adult standard-size wheelchair (22.5" wide) and be accompanied by a traveling companion for access to all areas of either ship.

Some ports of call are anchorage ports and physical conditions may preclude our Passengers in wheelchairs from going ashore. This decision is made by the ship's captain or doctor, and is binding.

For the hearing-impaired, the Hollywood Theatre and Galaxy Lounge are equipped with a Stars Sound Infrared Hearing System. CrystalSymphony also offers closed-captioned programming on selected television programs. Passengers should contact the Front Desk to activate this feature.

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